Joel Edgerton Writes, Stars, and Directs 'The Gift'

[MrMaooz]

Trailer.


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[Lencho01]

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[Blue42]

 

[Blue42]

TV Spot #1
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[Lencho01]

THE GIFT Review: This Movie Is Not Effing Around

 

[Hurm...]

This was a fantastic film. This was gorgeously shot, reminding me of Fincher's films and Sean Bobbitt's work in terms of framing. Bateman was a show-stealer, and Hall continues to prove that she is one of the finest young actresses working in film today. Edgerton, as with his his first screenwriting effort - Felony, demonstrates that he can tell compelling, small scale dramas that carry incredible emotional weight. I have always admired him as an actor, but after two home-runs, he is an incredible force behind the camera.

I hope great things come to this very talented filmmaker. Loved this picture.

 

[Marvolo]

The RT.com score for this film surprised the hell out of me. I'm gonna have to watch this!

 

[LostSon88]

Maybe I went in with ridiculous expectations due to the high praise it's been receiving but I thought it was just good.

The movie itself is fine and shot very well, my issues really were with the actual reveal of what happened. Maybe I expected something a little more twisted but it kind of left me underwhelmed. In the end,

Spoiler

Simon was simply a bully that started a rumor that ostracized Gordo from everyone else.

That's it? Again, don't get me wrong it's a good movie but I think there was so much more they could've done with the reveal. I expected a full on Cape Fear/Fatal Attraction type of psycho.

Gordo for the most part wasn't really that bad. Disturbed? Absolutely.

Oh and regarding the ending...

Spoiler

I don't think he had sex with her when he drugged her. This whole thing was/is a mind game to him.

 

[Hurm...]

I think people are embracing this film, because, while it provides thrills, it remains very grounded and small scale throughout the picture. It doesn't go to an over-the-top place in the narrative and character psychologies.

This is what I liked about Egerton's Felony script as well. It doesn't succumb to the theatrical expectations of mainstream cinema.

 

[flickchick85]

Yeah, I liked Felony quite a bit. And The Square. Will have to check this out.

 

[Prison Mike]

Saw this movie the other day. It was fantastic. Other than the RT score, I didn't know anything else about the movie. I was very pleasantly surprised. I agree about the movie being grounded. Glad there wasn't any supernatural element to it or a crazy slasher film. It's best to go into it without any big expectations.

 

[scatterax]

Was awesome! Have many people seen this?

 

[titansupes]

I like Edgerton, I love thrillers, I love it when a little movie starts getting raves. I read the review that said the basic set-up of the movie and refused to give anything else away, and I'm interested. I'll see this when it opens here on the 27th.

 

[Poetic Chaos]

Hated this movie. Didn't like or sympathize with any character in it. In fact, Jason Bateman was the most likeable character. Which is saying a lot.

 

[Pickleweasel]

9.5/10

 

[scatterax]

Hated this movie. Didn't like or sympathize with any character in it. In fact, Jason Bateman was the most likeable character. Which is saying a lot.

he was likable at the begining of his ark but by the end I thought he was the least likable/relatable of the 3 leads. theres a lot going on beneath the surface of his character that makes him irredeemable. he's only charming when he wants something. his wife is the most likable/obvious her of the story in my book.

 

[Rocketman]

I liked this movie quite a bit, but it should've ended better. It kind of ends up being empty by the last scene. We as an audience don't know the answer to the unanswered question left by Edgerton's character, but Bateman's character can easily find out with a simple [BLACKOUT]paternity test[/BLACKOUT]. So, every character in the movie is allowed to know but us. Eh.

I still thoroughly enjoyed everything else though. It was a damn good little mystery thriller.

 

[Jack Napier]

I liked this movie quite a bit, but it should've ended better. It kind of ends up being empty by the last scene. We as an audience don't know the answer to the unanswered question left by Edgerton's character, but Bateman's character can easily find out with a simple [BLACKOUT]paternity test[/BLACKOUT]. So, every character in the movie is allowed to know but us. Eh.

I still thoroughly enjoyed everything else though. It was a damn good little mystery thriller.

Except Gordo knows that Simon won't look into it. "Are you going to tell her or am I?" It's almost as if he knows the

Spoiler

baby

is the only thing keeping Robyn and Simon together, so he wouldn't want to lose hand by telling her.

I went into this movie with zero prior knowledge of what it was about and man, I'm really glad I did. Edgerton wrote and directed an entertaining film here.

 

[ShadowBoxer]

Hated this movie. Didn't like or sympathize with any character in it. In fact, Jason Bateman was the most likeable character. Which is saying a lot.

Really? Bateman's character is a awful bully. As someone who was bullied in high school, I easily sided with Gordo though I don't think the supposed ending was right ( if he did it).

 

[CapedCrusader14]

A strong debut for Edgerton and Jason Bateman was damn good in this film. I feel that some of the scares (those who have seen the film know what I'm talking about) actually bogged down the film for me and would have worked so much better without them, though they were used in proper context unlike most modern horror/thriller films, and one of the character turns towards the end just felt like a cliched "movie character" change. I was surprised my Dad saw the main plot point at the very end coming. But definitely a 4/5 for me, left me feeling uneasy the whole film which was excellent.

 

[titansupes]

Just saw this and thought it was excellent. I did find the ending somewhat anticlimactic, but very fitting and disturbing in it's own right. I guess I was just expecting it to get "slashy" at some point, so it threw me off.

Great writing, direction, cinematography and acting.

EDIT: God, IMDB. There are people defending

Spoiler

Gordo

and one's even saying she'd date him.

 

[enquencle]

Jus watched it last night, after a friend told me about it and the RT score. Had just seen Felony and thought it was good, so i decided to give this one a chance. And damn, i was surprised.

Great script, good direction by Edgerton. Restrained and grounded, with perfect pacing that makes it a slow burn. Good performances. It had everything to be the sleeper hit of the year, so far.

 

[NotSoLongAgo]

Jus watched it last night, after a friend told me about it and the RT score. Had just seen Felony and thought it was good, so i decided to give this one a chance. And damn, i was surprised.

Great script, good direction by Edgerton. Restrained and grounded, with perfect pacing that makes it a slow burn. Good performances. It had everything to be the sleeper hit of the year, so far.

Hopefully it gets some sort of awards recognition because it really deserves it imo

 

[titansupes]

I think it'll fly well under the radar of anything, awards wise. All the major one's anyway.

 

[chamber-music]

Really? Bateman's character is a awful bully. As someone who was bullied in high school, I easily sided with Gordo though I don't think the supposed ending was right ( if he did it).

I think your supposed to dislike both

Spoiler

Gordo and Simon. Simon is obviously a vicious bully who has no problem destroying the lives of other to get what he wants.

Gordo is a nutcase. Regardless of if he did or didn't rape Simon's wife he still took his revenge plot way too far.